- Crypto-based fundraising efforts have been set up by BlockShow for the Notre Dame Disaster
- Bitcoin and Ethereum are being accepted as a form of donation
- Millions of dollars have been raised in relief efforts since the fire
There are certain structures that have become synonymous with certain famous cities such as the Big Ben with London, the Christ the Redeemer statue and Rio de Janeiro and, of course, the Notre Dame cathedral and the city of Paris. Besides the Eiffel Tower, it is perhaps the most landmark in all of Paris and the world was shocked when the famed cathedral caught fire on April 15, 2019.
Words of support poured in from all over the world with former US president Barack Obama, current president Donald Trump and even the President of the European Council Donald Tusk offering
“I’d like to say words of comfort and solidarity with the French nation, also as citizen of Gdańsk, 90% destroyed and burnt, later rebuilt. You will also rebuild your cathedral! From Strasbourg, French capital of the EU, I call on all 28 States to take part in this task,” he said, despite being the middle of the ongoing Brexit drama.
After the flames were finally put out, authorities swooped in to assess the damage and determine what had been saved and what had been lost. Within hours, global funding began to restore the cathedral with French President Emmanuel Macron stating that he wanted the cathedral restored within 5 years.
Recovery Efforts
Among some of those who have given finically towards the cause of restoration of the cathedral are three of France’s richest families.
LVMH (LVMHF) and its CEO Bernard Arnault have pledged $226 million towards the cause, calling the Notre Dame “symbol of French heritage and unity.” The Pinault family has pledged $113 million towards the cause and the Bettencourt Meyers family has also pledged towards the cause.
One interesting and unexpected contribution towards relief efforts has popped up in the form of a crypto donation fund.
Crypto and the Cathedral
The fund, in this case, was organized by an announced by BlockShow on April 16, 2019, via their twitter page. Two wallets addresses were set up for both bitcoin and ethereum donations and there was also a link to the Foundations Du Patrimoine, which takes fiat donations.
This isn’t the first time that crypto has been used to find relief efforts as back in 2018 when PundiX joined relief efforts in Indonesia.
It is significant, however, that crypto is being recognized as a form of donation towards a worthy cause that is just as valid as fiat currency and acts like these go a long way towards widespread adoption.
